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How do you start the process of building a fantasy story world? “I usually start with a question — “why does the story have to take place here’? If I can just pick up my plot and characters and dump them into any kind of setting, it’s not connected enough.” @aliciajasinska
For @KatyaDeBecerra, beautiful story worlds that aren’t built from a strong narrative, first and foremost, risk becoming ‘artworks’: “You start with the story and you construct the world around it.”
You know you’re onto something when the setting is embedded with the character’s journey, @aliciajasinska says. She says to ask yourself: “How does the setting affect their life?”
Warning! Plot holes can puncture the illusion of a good fantasy story world. @KatyaDeBecerra says keep a working document of all your story world details to refer to as you get further through the writing process, to make sure you can stay across all the disparate elements.
“I’m not good at the nitty gritty, like geography (and) trade,” @aliciajasinska says/confesses. “I just like to write about the magic. I kind of cheat and base my settings off a real place.”
Beware real-world metaphors that can jolt the reader out of the story! “Sometimes I skip and write a metaphor that doesn’t make sense in that world,” @KatyaDeBecerra says, giving the example of calling someone a ‘Prima Donna’, and using a distinctly Italian term.
Should #fantasy writers read in the genre, or does that run a risk of fantasy overload? @aliciajasinska isn’t fussed — she’s inspired. “I feel like when I’m not reading, my writing gets worse. I need to feed my brain constant words.”
When it comes to crafting effective descriptions, @KatyaDeBecerra likes to brainstorm “evocative” phrases and metaphors that will both capture and inspire emotions. But balance and discretion is key in the final product: “You don’t have to describe everything single feeling.”
On the question of drawing inspiration from real world cultures, but not culturally appropriating, @KatyaDeBecerra says it can be “a fine line to walk”. She says writers should ask themselves: “What is your stake in this world?”
Two more key questions to ask yourself, on this theme, @aliciajasinska says are 1. “Am I the right person to be telling this story?” and 2. “Are you taking up someone else’s spot?”
On how to create magic systems, @aliciajasinska says she wanted the magic system in The Dark Tide to reflect the story’s broader theme of sacrifice — witches have to sacrifice a lock of hair, etc, to cast a spell. “I just like everything to tie back to the main kind of theme.”
Why are monarchical systems of government so enduringly popular on fantasy? “I feel like it has an automatic fairytale feeling ... that’s the appeal for me,” says @aliciajasinska. For @KatyaDeBecerra, it’s the “built-in glamour and beauty” to these structures.
Get an Accountability Buddy to keep yourself motivated as you write — someone who can ask for, and read chunks at a time, says @aliciajasinska. #WritingLife A
@KatyaDeBecerra says she gravitates naturally to gender neutral names for characters, and @aliciajasinska is a Baby Name website devotee!
As we start to wrap up, a good reminder about how character is the centre of a compelling story, as @KatyaDeBecerra reveals her book-buying lure: “I am more interested in character dynamics than a specific world.”
And @aliciajasinska is a sucker for stories contained in a single place, like an island 
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And that’s it for our live tweet of the @ozauthorsonline #worldbuildingpanel everyone! Don’t forget you’ll be able to watch the panel back on-demand, and keep an eye on the #LoveOzYa blog for an upcoming post about @KatyaDeBecerra and @aliciajasinska’s key writing tips https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😄" title="Lächelndes Gesicht mit geöffnetem Mund und lächelnden Augen" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht mit geöffnetem Mund und lächelnden Augen">
